Playing Favorites

1
“This was made for me and given to me by Paloma Picasso. I worked for her National Perfume Co., and she gave me many things, but this is special because I am the only person who has this, and it was made at Tiffany’s.”

2
“Mark Loren designed this piece, and my husband and daughters picked it out for me. The stones are very rare—one is from Tunisia, the other from Madagascar.”

3
“I got this David Yurman necklace at a Saks Fifth Avenue trunk show. My husband bought it for me because the blues and greens are my favorite colors.”

4
“This pearl and citrine necklace was made for me by B.O.S. Jewelers in Miami. It’s a one-of-a-kind piece, which I really like.”

All in the FAMILYSHIRLENE ELKINSFounder, Children’s Charities

1
“It is a tradition in our family that, when someone has a baby, they receive a strand of pearls. This was my mother’s first strand, and it was passed down to me.”

2
“There’s a note from my mother that I keep with this bracelet that identifies the different stones: amethyst, agate and blue moonstone. As much as I love the bracelet, I love to get to read her handwriting when I take it out, too.”

3
“My grandfather worked on a railroad and carried this pocket watch with him every day.”

5
“My grandmother carried this mirror with her in her purse, in case she needed to fix her lipstick.”

6
“This cameo belonged to my great-grandmother, and it’s been passed down through the years to me.”

7
“My grandmother and mother both wore these opal rings. We continue its tradition when my granddaughter, who is six, comes over. She loves to open up the jewelry box and wear these family treasures around the house.”

8
“This lizard is a vintage [Trifari] ‘Jelly Belly’ pin [made of sterling silver and Lucite]. When they became popular in the 1930s and ’40s, my grandmother told my mother about them, and she started collecting them. Now I have about 20 of them in all different shapes and animals.”

1
“This sterling silver bangle is a favorite of mine because it is the first piece of Tiffany & Co. jewelry my husband ever purchased for me.”

2
“This bracelet was made by designer Barry Brinker, who collects stones from all over the world, like these blue topaz. It’s significant because his pieces are never mass produced.”

3
“I purchased this Louis Vuitton cuff at Saks during a trunk show five years ago. It came in white, brown or black, but I chose black because I wear it so much. It’s surprisingly seasonless—I wear it all the time. And it’s a great conversation piece—people seem to notice it.”

4
“This Barry Brinker bracelet is my very favorite. It’s made of buttons that he purchased from the Coco Chanel atelier in Paris, so each one is different. I have not seen anything else made or designed with those buttons in the 30 years I’ve worked in fashion. Being in the industry, and Chanel being one of my favorite designers, it’s very close to my heart. I feel like when I wear it I’m channeling Coco Chanel.”

5
“These blue sapphire and pearl earrings are set in 18-karat gold surrounded by white gold. They were a gift from my husband as well, and they’re the second of only two Tiffany pieces that I own.”

6
“In 1947, before my father went off to the Army Air Forces, he gave my mother this black onyx ring and asked her to marry him. It was a promise ring, and she was 16 at the time. Because I always admired it, when I turned 40, I asked my mother to give it to me, and she and my father agreed. Now my daughter is waiting for the day I will let her have it.”

7
“When my daughter got married, she and her husband gave me this 18-karat gold, silver and citrine ring as a mother-of-the-bride ring.”

8
“Because they knew how much I loved her promise ring, my mother and father had these earrings designed to match its stone and shape.”